The result is a thoughtful adaptive reuse project that transforms architectural constraints into opportunities for creative expression. Locke de Santa Joana functions as both a hospitality destination and a neighbourhood catalyst, welcoming local creatives, international travellers and remote workers. Through careful intervention, Lazaro Rosa Violan Studio has created a space that honours the convent’s past while embracing Lisbon’s evolving identity, allowing its history to remain an active and meaningful part of the present.
Lazaro Rosa Violan Studio approached Locke de Santa Joana as a sensitive transformation of a protected 17th-century Lisbon convent into a contemporary urban resort. The studio’s design strategy centred on understanding the existing architecture in detail, using exhaustive spatial analysis to navigate heritage requirements while unlocking opportunities within the historic structure. The aim was to create light-filled, open-plan environments that respect the convent’s significance while introducing a fresh, youthful character for modern travellers and Lisbon’s creative community.
